Visible pulse and diastolic indicator



Oct. 1 192 j 7 N. FEDDE VISIBLE PULSE AND DIASTOL 'IOINDICATOR original ed June 8, 922

Patented Oct. '11, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,644,824- PATENT OFFICE.

NATHANAEL FEDDE, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

VISIBLE PULSE AND DIASTOLIC INDICATOR.

Application filed June a, 1922, serial no. 566,753. Renewed July 22, 1927.

My present invention relates to means for giving visible pulse and diastolic indications for use in sphyg'm'omanometry, and aims to provide a visible pulse and diastolic indicator which may readily, and with certainty of success, beapplied to any usual type of construction of sphygmom'an'ometer. Such an indicator provides, in a very compact construction, an attachment suitable for use with any usual or desired type of sphygmomanometer for converting the same into means for giving visible pulse and dias tolic indications, and, at the same time, is so constructed and arranged as to provide a rugged and properly protected device. A further object of the present invention is to provide means for giving visible pulse and diastolic indications, in which is incorporated 'an'indicating device capable of different'ranges and capacities for giving indications of different sensitiveness, as desired, whereby the device is adapted for successful and convenient use for usual or for abnormal cases, without rendering the device bulky and heavy so as to interfere with its convenient transport and use in the ordinary type of case.

In the accompanying specification I have described, and in the annexed drawing 30 shown, preferred embodiments of the present invention. It is,however, to be understood that-my invention is not limited to the embodiments thereof which is herein shown and described for purposes of illustration only.

Referring tothe drawings,

Figure 1 is a view showing the visible pulse and diastolic indicator comprising the herein described embodiment of the present invention, associated with one type of sphygmomanometer and pneumatic cuff;

Figure 2 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the indicating device per se; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of one form of supporting member and associated valve which may be used with the indicating means referred to; v

Figure d is a plan View of a modified form of visible pulse and diastolic indicator; and Figure 5 is a view in longitudlnal SGCtlOIl' ing around the arm o'f the person whoseblood pressure is to be measured, which cu-fl is herein generally designated by reference character 10. A tube 11 communicates with a rubber bulb or other means for generating air-pressure in the system, generally deer:

, nated by reference character 12. The bulb is" sphygmomanometer may be either of the" mercury column or the aneroid type; here shown as the aneroid type. The tube 11 may be provided with any suitable means 16' for releasing the air pressure in the sphygme: manometer system.

Attached at any suitable point in the sys tem, so as to give visibleindicationszofthe pressure conditions of the system, as by' being tapped into the tube 14 at the point Hand into the tube section 14 at the point 17, is a device, generally, indicated by ref erence character 20, for giving'visib'le pulse" and diastolic indications. This device me comprise a suitable casing 21, which is; pre erably circular in outline, having a glass or other transparent face or cover 21 and pro viding a-n air chamber 22. Exceptin the manner hereinafter describedin detail, the air chamber 22 is sealed against the ingress or egress of air from any outside source;

WVithin the air chamber 22 of the casing 21, and extendinginto and communicating with said air chamber, is a tube 23' which is preferably transparent, as by being made of glass, and which isprefer'ably remova bly supported within the casing 21, asby being made to fit into a two-part plug 25, the upper part 25 of which is preferably channelled or bored, as at 23", to receive the lower end 23 of the tube 28. In order to'pro'perly receive and retain the tube 23, the lower part 25 of the plug 25 is provided with at threaded opening 26 into which the threaded nipple 25 of the upper section 25 of the plug 25 tightly fits. In order to render the joint between the engaging threads of the" parts 25 and 25 absolutely air tight, the threads of the opening 26 may be coated with a suitable packing material, such as shellac.

The tube 23 is provided with an upperstop or buffer, which may be in the shape of a perforated thimble 27, and a: lower stop or bufier, which may also be in the shape of perforated thimble 28. Within the tube is a light readily air-operable indicating device, such as'a pith ball 29. The lower butter 28 should be so grooved or otherwise shaped that the pith ball will not, in its lowermost position in the tube 23, close the opening in the lower buffer 28 and thus act as a ball valve. The tube 23 communicates, by means of an opening 23', with the air chamber 22.

The lower portion 25 of the plug 25 is preferably provided with an extension in the I ,form of a nipple 30 which is in turn provided with a passageway or channel 31. The up per-portion of the plug 25 is provided with a by-pass or accessory passageway 32, controlled by a cock or valve 33 provided with a port or channel 33 so constructed and arranged as to control the connect-ion or" the channel 32 with the air chamber 22, thus allowing a greater or less portion of the air entering the channel 311. to be diverted into the channel 32 and thence into the airchamher 22without passing through the tube 23.

The use of the device and the operation of I the same in use are substantially as follows :Assum1ng that the manometer IS in the condition usual for making a reading of blood pressure, the compression bulb 13 III , erated, by means of the handle 36 forming a part of the valve, as to allow all the air to pass through the tube 23, by means of the channel 31, or a predetermined portion of the air to pass through the accessory channel 32,

. into communication with the air chamber 22 of the member 20, and thus into communication with the pressure system of the manometer. I

Whether the tube 23, either alone, or in conjunction with the channel 32, is to be used, depends upon the blood pressure characteristics of the patient whose blood pressure is being measured. It the pressure is not much above normal, the tube 23, alone,

, should be used, thechannel 32 being closed by the operation of the valve 33. On the other hand, if the blood pressure of the patient is much above normal, the accessory channel 32 is rendered operative by the suitable manipulation of the valve 33, thus sidetracking or by-passing a portion of the air which is normally'passed directly through the tube 23, into the air chamber 22. In

other words, injthe case of. an abnormally strong or bounding pulse, the tube 23might and then remain substantially uniform until the diastolic pressure is reached, whereupon there occurs a marked diminutionin the amplitudes ot the movements of the pithball.

It will be noted that, by reason ot' the construction described above, means are provided, of a simple but ette'ctive character, for giving reliable visible indications of the character of the pulse and of the point at which the minimum diastolic blood pressure is to be read. Any variation in the air pres sure of the manometric. system, communicated from the cuff 10, will impart an impulse to thepith ball Within the tube in the casing, thus rendering visible any. and all changes in the pressure of the system. Due to the provision of the perforated thimbles 27 and 28, which serve as butters, the movements of the pith ball are kept within the desired upper and lower limits.

The provision of the air chamber 22 serves the very useful and important purposefof permitting substantially free movement of the air through the tube 23, due to the comparatively small volume of the tube as compared with the volume of the air within the casing 21 without, however, permitting any leakage of the pressure generated in the system by means of the pressure bulb 13.

It will be noted that the device is, therefore, capable of giving visible pulse and diastolic indications of different ranges and scnsitiveness, depending upon the blood pressure characteristics of the person whose blood pressure is being measured. It will be further noted that since the tube 23 passes through the channel 23. of the upper portion 25 of the plug 25 and into contact with. a seat on the inner face of the upper portion 25 of said plug, to which seat it may be attached by any suitable cement, gasket or other means, the lower portion 25 of the plug, shielding the tube 23, may readily be removed by unscrewing the lower portion 25 from the upper portion 25 This permits the ready inspection and repair of the more sensitive and fragileparts of the instrument. 7

Another advantage of the construction described above is that it constitutes a unit which may be readily attached to any welldicated at 29".

In the modification shown in Figure 4 of the drawing, a bypass 32 controlled by a valve 33 is provided so as to be external to the plug or equivalent device 25 having the channel 31 through which air passes into thetube 23 in the manner described for the previous modification. Air passing through the by-pass 33 enters the air chamber 22 by means of the connection 34. By

the suitable manipulation of the valve 33, a

greater Or less proportion of the air entering the channel 31 may be by-passed or diverted through the connections 32 and 34 directly into the chamber 22.

In the modification shown in Figure 5 of the drawing I prefer that the channel 31" shall be formedor molded in one side, preferably the comparatively thick side, of a hollow member 40 which may be made of a moldable transparent material, such as bakelite or celluloid. The channel 31 communicates with the air chamber 22 by means of the opening 41 which may be bored from the outside of the casing and has its outer end closed, as indicated at 41'.

The pith ball or equivalent device is in- The lower end of the channel 31 is closed by the plug 42. By means of an oblique channel 43 the passageway 31" communicates with the channel 31 The upper portionof the channel 31 is controlled by a valve 33 having the port 33.

The device may be made in one or more pieces as desired and possesses for certain purposes advantages over the other forms of the invention hereinabove shown and desscribed. If desired to be made in two parts, one of the parts may be screwed into the other by means of the tapered threaded seats 43 and 43.

That I claim is: v

1. A visible pulse and diastolic indicator, comprising, in combination, a casing providing an air chamber, means for giving visible pulse and diastolic indications and regulatable means for said first mentioned means to adjust the indicator to pulsation and diasture in one side thereof, a channelled member fitting into said aperture, a tube carried by said channelled member so as to extend V lnto said air chamber when the channelled member is within said aperture, said tube communicating with said channel and with said air chamber, and air-operated means within said tube for giving visible pulse and diastolic indications.

3. A visible pulse and diastolic indicator comprising, in combination, a casing providing an air chamber and having an aperture in one side thereof, and removable airoperated mean-s fitting into said aperture and extending' into said air chamber for giving visible pulse and diastolic indications.

4. A visible pulse and diastolic indicator comprising, in combination, a casing providing an air chamber and having an aperture in one side thereof, and removable airoperated means fitting into said aperture and extending into said air chamber for giving visible pulse and diastolic indications, said removable air-operated means comprising an indicating device of variable range and capacity for giving visible pulse and diastolic indications of different sensitiveness. 7

5. A visible pulse and diastolic indicator comprising, in combination, a casing providing an air chamber and having an aperture in one side thereof, a channelled plug fitting into said aperture, an indicator tube carried by said plug so as to extend into said air chamber when the plug is in position in said aperture, said tube communicating with said channel and with said air chamber, a ball within said tube, a by-pass in said plug, and a valve within said plug controlling said by-pass and adapted, on being opened, to by-pass some of the air normally passing through the channel in said plug, so as to give visible pulse and diastolic indications of different sensitiveness.

6. In .a sphygmomanometer system, a

pneumatic cufl', means for pumping air into and releasing the same from the cult, means for indicating the air pressure in said cufl, and a second indicator in the system for indicating the diastolic and systolic conditions of the pulse.

In testimony, whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this fifth day of June, 1922.

NATHANAEL FEDDE. 

